Tough immigration bill signed into Alabama law; legal challenges loom

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley is flanked by Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, left, and Micky Hammon, R-Decatur, right, as he speaks before signing into law what critics and supporters are calling the strongest bill in the nation cracking down on illegal immigration, on Thursday June 9, 2011 at the state Capitol in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Montgomery Advertiser, Mickey Welsh)

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- A tough new immigration law in Alabama authorizes
police to check identification of possible illegal immigrant and requires public
schools to check the immigration status of their students.

Gov. Robert Bentley signed the bill into law Thursday and will come into effect September 1.

An Alabama House Republicans fact sheet says the
bill will require law enforcement officials "to attempt to determine the
immigration status of a person who they suspect is an unauthorized alien
of this country," according to CNN.

The law also makes it a criminal offense to provide transport or housing to an illegal immigrant, CNN reports.

Reuters says the Alabama legislation is unique in requiring public schools to
determine, by review of birth certificates or sworn affidavits,
the legal residency status of students.

CNN also reports that civil rights groups and the Mexican government have been quick to condemn the bill. The Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery said in a statement that the legislation, sponsored by Republican Rep. Micky Hammon, could cost
state taxpayers millions of dollars to enforce and defend through the
courts.

Already, immigration rights advocates are vowing to challenge the
law in court, after having sued to block similar measures in
Arizona, Utah, Indiana and Georgia, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with Arizona in a 5-3 decision last month, endorsing the use of its
licensing authority to penalize and even shutter businesses that
employ illegal immigrants, Bloomberg reports. Since the introduction of the law similar to Alabama's, Arizona has lost millions of dollars
in tourism.